Wheeled toy



WHEELED TOY 7 Filed Feb. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ma I 23 2/ INVENTORJoseph LBonanno ATTORNEY zmwm 1935- J, BONANNO WHEELED TOY Filed Feb. 4,1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllll INVENTOR Joseph LBonanno ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 5, 1935 ATENT OFFIQ E WHEELED TOY Joseph L. Bonanno,Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to The Lionel CorporatiomNew York, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application February 4, 1935, Serial No. 4,743

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to wheeled toys and is more particularlydirected toward wheeled toys designed to simulate hand cars and thelike. The present invention contemplates a wheeled toy adapted to run ona track or other support. It is preferably propelled by a wind-up springmotor although it may be propelled by an electric motor when used on atoy track such as employed in toy electric railroads.

According to the present invention the toy is provided with one or moreanimated figures which are connected with the driving mechanism of thetoy so that the figures are moved back and forth by exposed linkages andhave motions simulating the motions of the operator of a hand car.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, two of the many embodiments in which the invention may takeform, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of theinvention rather than limiting the same. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the toy hand car that can run on atoy track and having two animated figures;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view showing structural details at anenlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a modified form of construction;and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a portion shown in Figure 5.

In the drawings a conventional spring motor such as employed in toylocomotives and the like is shown at l0. It has side frames II and 12, apropeller spring indicated at l3, a gear train indicated at M and a pairof driving wheels l5 operatively connected with the gear train. Thebrake for the spring motor is indicated at 16, "5a. The motor is adaptedto drive the toy along a track indicated at H.

A sheet metal cover member 2!] is folded to shape to cover the top, theends and the most of the side portions of the propeller unit. It isWelded or otherwise secured to two laterally extending platform members2| and 22. These members are secured to the ends 23 and 24 of a strapmember 25, the strap member 25 is welded to the cross members 26 and 21of the propeller unit. These platform members support animated figures30 and 3!. These figures may take the form of natural or grotesquefigures as desired. As here shown the feet for the figures are indicatedat 32 and 33, the legs at 34, the bodies at 35 and the arms at '36. Thefeet and the body may be made out of molded composition and the legs 34out of lengths of flexible rubber rod secured in place by nails asindicated at 31. The 6 arms 36 are pivoted at 38 and are connectedtogether at the free ends by cross rods 39. These cross rods arereceived in holes 40 in a rocker arm or lever 4i pivoted at 42 on asupport 43 carried by the cover member 20. arm is connected by aconnecting rod or link.

with one of the driving wheels l5.

When the toy is propelled along the track or' support by the springmotor, the wheels l5 re-' volve and oscillate the rocker arm 4| back and15 forth as indicated in the full line and the dot and dash linepositions of Figure 1. This will cause the arms 36 to swing up and downand will shift the bodies 35 of the figures back and forth. Thismovement is permitted by the flex- 20 ibility of the legs 34. Themovement of these figures to and fro and the arms up and down is a veryclose simulation of the operation of a hand car. I

The spring motor used in the toy is preferably 25 of the type having nospeed limiting governor. The resistance offered by the reversing of thelinkages and figures may be utilized as a governor to limit the speed ofthe toy. Various degrees of governing action may be obtained according30 to the point on the lever 4| at which the connecting rod 44 isconnected.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 the deviceis substantially that shown in Figures 1 to 4 except that one figure 5only of different form is employed, and a cargo is mounted on the otherplatform. In this construction the animated figure is in the form of arabbit having permanently fixed legs 50, a pivoted body 5| and pivotedarms 52. The arms are 40 secured to a rocker arm 53 similar to therocker arm 4|. A connection 54 similar to the connection 44 connects therocker arm 53 and one of the driving wheels 55. These wheels may berubber tired so that the device is more adapted for use on the floor.The front or left platform of the figure carries a basket 55 simulatingan Easter It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many formsand constructions within the scope of the claims, and I wish it to beunderstood that the particular forms shown are but two. of the manyforms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do nototherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

The rocker 10" What is claimed is:

1. A wheeled toy having an enclosed body portion, a propulsion motor inthe body portion for driving the wheels and propelling the toy, alaterally extending platform carried by the body portion, an animatedfigure supported on the platform, and exposed figure actuating linkageshaving connection with a driven part for actuating the figure so thatthe linkages and figure have a motion such that the figure appears to bedriving the toy.

2. A wheeled toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the figure has rigidlegs, a pivoted body and arms pivoted to the body.

3. A wheeled toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the figure actuatinglinkages include a lever arm pivoted to the body portion and to thefigure, and a connecting rod betwe n the lever arm and one of thewheels.

4. A wheeled toy having a body portion, a pro pulsion motor in the bodyportion for driving the wheels and propelling the toy, a laterallyextending platform carried by the body portion, an animated figuresupported on the platform, the figure having a movable body and armmembers carried by the body and pivoted on a horizontal axis, a leverarm pivoted to the body portion and to the, arm members, and a wheeloperated link connected to the lever arm to swing it up and down so thatthe body of the figure is oscillated ba k and forth, 7

5. A wheeled toy having a body portion, a propulsion motor; in the bodyportion for driving the wheels. and propelling the toy, two laterally exending p tioms named by the body portion. an animat d fi u e pp r d on ec p tform, and exposed, figure actuating linkages having connection witha driven part for actuatingthe figures so that, the linkages and figureshave a motion such that the figures appear to be driving the ow.

6. In a wheeled toy, a propulsion unit having a spring motor drivinglyconnected with the wheels, a cover member about the propulsion unit,said cover member having a laterally extending platform, and asupporting strap secured to the platform and to the propulsion unit.

7. A wheeled toy as claimed in claim 6, having a rocking lever securedto the top of the cover member and connected to one of the wheels to berocked thereby, and a figure on the platform and 10 connected to thelever to be moved back and forth thereby.

8. In a wheeled toy, an enclosed body portion,

a propulsion unit within the body portion and having a spring motordrivingly connected with 15 the wheels, a rocking lever, a connectingrod connecting one of the wheels and the lever to rock the lever, asupport at one side of the body portion, and an animated figure on saidsupport and connected to the lever to be moved back 20 and forththereby, the resistance of the wheel driven parts offering opposition tothe unwinding of the spring motor and limiting the speed of the toy.

9. A wheeled toy as claimed in claim 8, where- 25 in the point ofconnection of the rod and lever is variable to vary the speed of thetoy.

10. A Wheeled toy having a body portion, a propulsion motor on the bodyportion for driving the wheels and propelling the toy, a laterally 30extended platform carried by the body portion, an animated figuresupported on the platform and having flexible leg-like members, a rigidbody above the leg-like members and swinging arm-like members, andexposed figure actuating linkages having connection with a. driven partfor actuating the figure so that the linkages and figure have a motionsuch that the figure appears to be driving the toy.

JOSEPH L. BONAN'NO.

